VSS Enterprise

The VSS "Enterprise" is the first commercial spaceship being constructed by Virgin Galactic.cite web
date=27 September 2004
url=http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/virgin_space_040927.html
title="Virgin Galactic to Offer Public Space Flights"
work=Space.com
publisher=Associated Press
accessdate=2008-08-12] It will also be the first ship of the SpaceShipTwo class, based on upscaling the design of SpaceShipOne. It is due to have its first test flights in the fall of 2008,cite web
url=http://www.virgingalactic.com/htmlsite/news.php
title="News: Mothership “Eve” Roll Out"
date=July 28, 2008
publisher=Virgin Atlantic
accessdate=2008-08-12] with passenger service beginning in late 2009 or early 2010.cite news
last=Schwartz
first=John
url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/science/space/23cnd-spaceship.html?hp
title=New Tourist Spacecraft Unveiled
work=New York Times
date=January 23, 2008
accessdate=2008-08-12] These launches will occur at Virgin Galactic's launch pad located near Upham, New Mexico. The name is an acknowledgement to the USS "Enterprise" from the "Star Trek" television series.cite web
url=http://www.space-tourism.ws/spaceshiptwo.htm
title="SpaceShipTwo"
work=SpaceTourism.ws
accessdate=2008-08-12]

Entrepreneur Richard Branson, head of the space tourism company Virgin Galactic, offered William Shatner, the actor who portrayed Captain Kirk in the original "Star Trek" series, a free ride into space on the inaugural space launch of the VSS "Enterprise", with a retail value of $200,000. However, Shatner turned it down, and said, "I do want to go up but I need guarantees I'll definitely come back."cite news
title=Captain Kirk reveals he won't go boldly into space
url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=403931&in_page_id=1773|publisher=dailymail.co.uk
work=Daily Mail
date=6 September 2006
accessdate=2008-08-12]

See also

* Space tourism
* VSS Voyager
* VMS Eve

References